Removable buckle holder for shoes



v Och 30, .1928

L. GQRDON REMOVABLE BUCKLE HOLDER FOR SHOES Filed Oct. 21, 1926 anowntoz Lam's M 'krawz @391 A11:- 61mm;

Patented oer. an, 1928. a fl fiid UhliiE fi'iATFS FATE Louis w. ddtnon, or nnwyoiemn. Y.

REMOVABLE uoxnn HOLDER non sirens.

Application filed October 21, 1926. Serial No. 142,210.

This invention relates to improvements in perience that such devices, due to improper means for detachably mounting ornaments design do not always insure the necessary such as buckles onto the vamp of that class positive grip, so that thev device and the. of 10W Shoe-S Ordinarily known s pumps. ornament supported thereby may easily slip 5 The primary object of this invention is to out with a possibility of their becoming lost provide a device which may be permanently or damaged. 1 or detachably connected to the ornament to At other times, I have noticed that certain be used, comprising -means for firmly gripsimilar devices found on the market can only ping the material at the edge ofthe vamp be used 1n connection with shoes, the matep i portion of the shoe, by spring pressure so as rlal of Which has a. certain definite thickness,

to insure a positive hold and a proper posi- .due to the fact that the attaching members 5 tioning of the buckle or other ornament. which are slipped over the edge of the vamp Another objectis to provide in a'device of are set at a definite distance whichadmits' th class specified, clamping means compris of but very small variations; so that ifthe ing' two members tending to move towards material is too thin the device is loosely incach other about a common pivotal or spring sertedover it and may ea ily m f d 70 support, the distance between said clamping 1f the material is too thick, the attaching members and the pivotal support being sutii members may bespread apart at such a ciently, long to insure practically parallel angle. that their hold is rendered very insearrangement of the. two clamping members cure.- 1 l e for all thicknesses of leather-to be clamped T his lack of PO i Y a i s ribu able therehetween. F mainly to the fact that the two plates of A u Object is to provi 1 a device for which the attaching member is composed are detachably mounting an ornament on a shoe- .obtained by bending the metal right at the formed with two relatively long arms bent point which comes in contact with the edge from a single piece of'sheet steel or other of the vamp proper when th d i i i so metal having suitable elastic properties, pro-- serted in position, a clip with but very short viding in one unit supporting means for the arms being thus formed. y I ornament and clamping means therefor, the 'The clip thus obtained is to a certain'eX- v resulting device being; positive and safe in tent a spring clip, but its spring action can its operation and being adapted furthermore be but imperfectlyutilized because the piv- 85 to he produced at relatively low cost. otal or spring connection of the two arms Y Other objectsand advantages of the pres is entirely too close to the material to be cnt invention will 'more fully appear asthe clamped; so that any variation'in the thickdescription proceeds and will be forth ness of the material beyond a certain limit and claimed in the appended claims. 1 resultsin an excessive angular displacement 9 It is frequently desirable to change the of the two arms in relation to one another style of ornament provided on a pair of slipand consequent tendency of the device to" pers or pumps according to the occasion, and slip out." 1 a v r 40 also-according to the other art-iclesof apparel For a clamping" device of this nature to worn at the same time. At times. it also act properlyit is necessary that the pivotal desirable to wear the slippers or pumps or springattachment of the two arms be set without any ornament whatsoever, espe zially at'a considerable distance from-the point at when rubbers or over-shoes have to be worn; which the clamping action is exerted, so that 45 it therefore impei'ative that any device. a very small angular displacement of the I i used for detachably mounting an ornament two arms in relation to-one another is" suffior such shoes be so designed that the outer cient to cause a noticeable change in the dis surface of the vamp is not in the least tance separatingfthe clamping portions at damaged in order not to mar the appearance the ends of said arms. This insures a conso f th ho dition whereby the said clamping portions In a broad sense, a device fo Q Imovably' remain practically parallel, exerting a posimounting a buckle. on a pu'mpor slipper is tive clamping action under all existingcoir not new, since devices of this character have ditions, and the arrangement furthermore been heretofore in use; butit is :my ex? results in an improved gripping action and,

by means of a detachable holding device; Fig. 2 is a rear View inelevation of buckle of conventional design;

Fig. 3 is aside sectional view in elevation through line 33 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 4: is a side View in elevation of'niy improved device'on which a buckle is mounted showing the buckle in section;

Fig. '5 is a s de 88015101181 view in elevation of the same;

Fig. 6 is a front device; V

Fig. 7 is a rear View in elevation of the same, v

Fig. 8 is a plan sectional view of said device through line 8 -8 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 isa side sectional view in elevation otasimilar device permanently attached to and: built as a unit with the buckle itself.

the preferred form, the device is especially designed for interchangeable use in connection with various buckles, connection view in elevation of said between the device itself and the buckle being obtained by suitable means interlocking with the longitudinal strap bar with whichbuckles are generally provided.

Thus in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 1 0 designates a conventional type of buckle provided atthe rear with a relatively narrow fiat bridge like bar 11 runningpractically for the entire height of the buckle, andlspaced from the rear surface of the buckle a distance 12 suflicient for the insertion of a strap or other similar holding means.

The device proper comprises an upwardly directed front member 13, which is the supporting member upon which the buckle is mounted. Said front or supporting member is therefore preferably provided with a longitudinal groove 14 within which the bar 11 of the buckle can be inserted and retained. To this end, the device is provided with suitable means for locking the barin position, for instance, the device may be provided with a spring finger 15 riveted at one end; at 16 to the front or supportingmember and extendingtransversely of and. beyond groove 14, close to the front surface of aid" supporting member.

The: tree end of said finger is preferably slightly turned outwardly, as shown'at 17',

in Fig. 8, s0 that the bar of the buckle may be easily inserted sldewise between the said finger and the surface ofthe supporting member up to the point where therbar will beforced into the-groove 14 by the pressure 0t spring linger 1-5.

The device also comprises a rear member or arm 18 formed in one piece with the front member 13, being bent downwardly therefrom. at 19, the result being a spring acting clip, having two arms adapted to be pressed together by hand, said two arms once more moving away from each other to their normal position when the pressure is released due to the spring action obtained by the round bend 1'9.

An eiliclent spring action will, of course,

be obtained by employing a suitable material such as spring steelin the manufacture or the dev1ce,'so that thissprmgaction may be utilized for securely clampingthe device onto the vamp of a shoe.

For this purpose,.the two lower endsofmembers 13, 18 are caused to cross-each other X fashion so that the tendency of saidmeinbers or arms 13, 18 to open will be translated into a tendency in those portionsthereof which projectbeyond the crossing-point to move towards one anotherrso that the said extending portions will obviously exert a clamping action on anything which is inserted therebetween.

Under normal condition, the buckle must be held in an upward position slightly inclined to the rear, while the vamp of the pump is also inclined upwardly from front to rear, but at a relatively small angle, the inclination thereof being closer to a horizontal than to a vertical plane In order to obtaina proper positioning of the buckle, the extreme ends of the two crossing extensions of arms 13, 18 are arranged at an angle to the supporting member or. arm 13, the (lirectionfoi' said extensions corresponding substantially to the direction of the edge portion of the vamp when said arm 13' is placed in the correct position resulting in a proper inclination. of the buckle supported thereby.

The various conditions outlined are attained by bifurcating the lower end of one of thetwo arms of the clip, in this case the front arm or member 13', so as to produce two side projections or lugs 20, 21, and by narrowing down the lower end of the other member, in this'case arm 18, so that it may"- pass between said lugs 20, 2.1,v forming the desired X structure, and then by so bending and shaping said extensions that their clamping portions proper will remain in the desired relative position and will be directed. at the proper angle corresponding to the inclination of the edge, off the vamp.

Accordingly, the two side lugs 20, 21 arev first bent rearwardly and. slightly upwardly of the said curvature.

1,ese,24.o v

as shown at 22 a .sufiicient distance to pernut the buckle carried by the device to reach a position somewhat ahead ofthe inner edge of the vamp, that is, the position at'WVlnCl'l a buckle is usually placed; saidlugsiare then once more bent forwardly :as at 23 or being slightly detached therefrom, rela-- tively to a plane transversely directed to the surfaces of said parts 24, 26.

When the two arms of the clips are pressed together, surfaces 24,26 are forced apart so that the edge of the vamp may be inserted therebetween; and upon pressure on arms 13, 18, being released, the clamping portions or extensions 24, .26 will close upon said vamp edge gripping it with a firmhold sufficient to retain the device and the buckle mounted thereon in position. In order to improve the clamping action, the clamping surfaces are preferably provided with burrs such as shown at 27 or with inwardly bent sharp edges such as shown at 28 or both. 7

The construction described, results, in a spring having relatively long arms, where the clamping members are located at con-' siderable distance from the point of attachment of said arms, so that but a very small angular displacement of said arms is sufiicient to produce a noticeable relative movement of the said two clamping members. Accordingly, the two clamping members will remain sutliciently parallel to one another irrespective of the thickness of the vamp upon which the same are inserted, providing a positive and efi'ective clamping action at all times. The positive action of the device infthis respect is further insured by the fact that the spring action originates at a point far away from the end at which the clamping action is exerted; this creating a condition where no undue deformation of the spring will occur at anytime under practical conditions.

device is slightly curved to follow the curvature of the upper part of the vamp, and the two extensions 24 of the side lugs 20, 21 are inclined from front to rear in continuation The metal out of which the device is made is of relatively light gauge and therefore extensions 24 will tit perfectly between thevamp and the foot by bifurcating the lower end of the reararm,

the adjoining edges.

of the wearer, adapting themselves to the shape of the-foot witho-utcausing the slight-.

est discomfort. r The pressure needed to operate the device for releasing the clamping action or for inserting the device in position can'be conven: iently exerted by holdingthe buckle and the holder between .thefirst and second finger at the front and the thumb at the Y, rear.

applying pressurexwiththe thumb against the rear arm 18.- In view of the fact that these parts extend upwardly'from the vamp without any hindrance at eitherthe front or the rear, the device may be controlled at all times from a perfectly accessible point,

thus assured.

It is obvious that therelativepositions of v the clamping ends maybe inverted ifdesired and by causing the "extension of the front arm .or supporting member'to cross the same between the twoside extensions thereof. i

In the preferred construction, the side edges of the central clamping plate 26' are slightly spaced in a lateral sense from the inner edges'of side plates 24 as shown in Fig. 6 leaving a relatively'small clearance between This construction im proves the clamping action to a considerable extent because the vamp of the shoeto which so that its speedy insertion and removal are the device is. attached is usually made of soft, relatively pliable material, apt to yield and to bend under the clamping action of the two members, with the result that the said. material may bend slightly where it is clamped between adjoining edges ofthe lower and upper clamping plates, becoming to a certain extent wedged in between said plates. 7

This increases the frictional hold of the device upon the vamp, and especially prevents in themost effective manner, possible angular displacementsof the device in rela-" tion to the vamp in a transversal sense.

Instead of making the device detachable, the same may bebuilt in one unit as part tially the same as described in connection Wit-l1 the previous features, 18 designating the rear arm attached bya spring 19. I r

Take in the prevlous case, the said arms of the buckle itself, as shownin Fig. 9. In

to the front memberor members 13, 18 are provided respectively with front extensions or clamping plates 26, 24, crossing each other X fashion as shown The action of this device is in every way similar to the action of the device previously described, and the some represents in effecta new article of manufacture in providing as it does, a buckle having means inbuck-le in position.

My invention may 7 tegral therewith for detachably securing said the drawings will be understood as being intended for illustrative purposes only and not in a limiting sense. Therefore, I 'reserve myself the right to carry my invention into: actice in all those waysand manners whic 1- may enter fairly in the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. An ornament supporting device for slippers, comprising two spring arms con- 'nect'ed by a bend or loop at one end, said arms crossing one another X fashion and havin theirfree endsadapted to be inserted 1 over t e vamp of a slipper when their two connected ends are pressed together, said free ends being bent substantially in the same direction transversely of said arms,

and forming surfaces substantially followingthe outline of and adapted to clamp said adapted to register with and to follow the outline of the vamp of aslipper inserted and clamped therebetweenr 3; In an ornament'supporting device for slippers, the combination with asupporting member, of a spring acting clamping device comprising two clamping members one of said members consisting of two spaced lateral elements and the other consisting'of an element located between said two lateral elements, said elements normally extending in-substantially the same direction alongsubstantially the same plane, and having their side edges close to one another,;caus-V ing the material inserted between said clamp i n'g members to become wedged between said side edges.

4s. A device of the class described, comprising an upwardly extending supporting member bent downwardly at its upper end to form a re 1' spring acting arnn-said supportingmember having its lower, end bent be modified in it s vari-" 'ous detailswithout departing fromthespirit and scope of my invention and accordingly the device in posi rearwardly and then forwardly, and said rearwardly and then forwardly and said rear arm having its'lower end bent forwardly and crossing said supporting member, said forwardly extending lower ends forming substantially parallel clamping surfaces adapted to be forced apart and inserted" over the vamp ofa slipper when said rear arm is pressed against said supporting member. I

6. A device of the class described, comprising an. upwardly extended supporting member, having means for the attachment of an ornament or the like, said supporting -member being bent downwardly at its upper end toform a rear spring acting arm, said supporting member having its lower endbifurcated to form two spaced extensions bent rearwardly and then forwardly and said rear arm having its free end bent forwardly and adapted to passbetween said spaced extensions, said forwardly bent ends being adapted to be forcedapartand having "substantiallyparallel surfaces adapted to receive the vamp of a slipper thereb'et'ween when said arm is forced against said supporting member.

7. A device of the class described, comprising an upwardly extending supporting member bent downwardly at its upper end to form a rear spring acting arm, said supporting member having a bifurca'ed lower end havingil's' side extensions bent rearwardly and then forwardly, and said rear arm having it lower end crossing said extensions, "said forwardly directed extensions forming clampingsurfaces adapted to be inserted against the inner surface of the edge of the vamp of a shoeand the lower end of said rear arm being'adapted to be inserted over the outer surface ofisaid vamp, when said rear arm is pressed against said supporting member, said vamp ren'iaining clamped between said side extensions and said lower end of the rear arm when said rear arm is subsequently released.

LOUIS w. GORDON. 

